connections
connections — noun
1. the act of joining two things together or the condition of being joined — for ex
the act of joining two things together or the condition of being joined — for example, when a cable is plugged into a device or a road links two towns.
The connection of the new printer to the office network took less than five minutes.
connection of [item] to [system]
After the earthquake, residents had no phone connection to the outside world.
phone / internet connection
The bridge provides a direct road connection between the two islands.
A loose wire was causing a poor electrical connection in the lamp.
The ferry service offers a daily connection across the river.
- disconnection
the state of being separated or unplugged
文法句型
connection + of + noun
connection + between + plural noun
用法筆記
Frequently used with adjectives that describe quality: a poor / loose / secure / direct connection. The uncountable form ("lack of connection") is common in technical contexts.
常見錯誤
2. a relationship between two or more things, events, or ideas where one influences
a relationship between two or more things, events, or ideas where one influences, causes, or is related to the other — for example, the link between smoking and lung cancer, or between two historical events.
Scientists found a clear connection between air pollution and asthma in children.
connection between [cause] and [effect]
There is a strong connection between regular exercise and better mental health.
strong / clear / direct connection between X and Y
Yumi made the connection between the missing wallet and the stranger who had visited earlier.
Historians see a direct connection between the drought and the collapse of the ancient city.
The two events are completely unrelated — there is no connection between them.
- link
interchangeable in most contexts, slightly less formal
- relationship
broader; can include emotional or social ties
- correlation
more formal and technical; implies statistical association
- gap
a missing link or absence of relationship
文法句型
connection + between + noun + and + noun
no connection between + plural noun
用法筆記
Subject is often a researcher or analyst. The negative form ("no connection between") is common in scientific writing to deny a causal relationship.
常見錯誤
3. a close personal bond such as a family relationship, shared history, or deep fri
a close personal bond such as a family relationship, shared history, or deep friendship — for example, the tie between a grandparent and a grandchild, or the bond between childhood friends who have known each other for decades.
Ananya still feels a strong connection to her hometown even though she lives abroad now.
connection to a place / person (emotional bond)
Oliver's connection with his grandfather grew much stronger after they started fishing together.
connection with [person] (deepening bond)
The school tries to strengthen its connections with local families and community groups.
Even after ten years apart, the two friends felt their connection had not faded.
Our family connection goes back three generations — our great-grandparents lived on the same street.
- estrangement
the state of being no longer close, especially in a family
文法句型
connection + to + noun
connection + with + noun
connections + between + plural noun
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 7 (influential contacts), which refers to useful acquaintances rather than genuine personal bonds. This sense emphasises emotional closeness, shared history, or blood relation.
常見錯誤
4. the quality of forming a clear, continuous, and logical whole — used especially
the quality of forming a clear, continuous, and logical whole — used especially when discussing whether the parts of a piece of writing, speech, or argument follow one another in a way that makes sense.
The essay lacked logical connection between its paragraphs, making it hard to follow.
logical connection between [parts] for coherence
There was no connection between the first half of the film and the ending.
The speaker jumped from one topic to another with no clear connection at all.
A good editor ensures that each chapter has a natural connection to the next one.
- coherence
direct synonym; more common in academic writing
- continuity
focuses on flow over time rather than logical fit
- consistency
emphasises sameness or agreement between parts
- disconnection
lack of logical relationship between parts
文法句型
connection + between + noun + and + noun (abstract)
lack of connection
用法筆記
Almost always used in formal contexts about texts, speeches, arguments, or narratives. Typically uncountable — do not write 'a connection' in this sense. The negative form ('no/lack of connection') is especially common.
常見錯誤
5. a part or device that joins two objects, systems, or pieces of equipment so that
a part or device that joins two objects, systems, or pieces of equipment so that they work together — for example, a pipe joint in a water system, a cable plug in a computer, or a coupling between train carriages.
The plumber checked every connection in the pipe system for signs of a leak.
physical parts that join things together
A loose connection in the cable caused the TV picture to flicker on and off.
loose / faulty connection
The mechanic examined the hose connection between the engine and the cooling tank.
The train carriages are held together by strong metal connections at each end.
Nadia checked every cable connection before switching on the new computer.
文法句型
connection + in + noun
connection + between + noun + and + noun
用法筆記
Often modified by the type of system (cable connection, pipe connection, hose connection) or by a quality adjective (loose, tight, faulty, secure, waterproof).
常見錯誤
6. a scheduled service such as a flight, train, or bus that allows a passenger to c
a scheduled service such as a flight, train, or bus that allows a passenger to continue a journey by switching from one vehicle or route to another — for example, a connecting flight from Taipei to Hong Kong, or a train that meets a ferry at the same station.
We missed our train connection in Chicago and had to wait three hours.
train / flight / bus connection
The airport offers direct flight connections to over fifty cities across Asia and Europe.
direct connection (no change of vehicle)
Haruto's train connection from Kyoto to Osaka was delayed by ten minutes.
The bus connection from the village to the nearest town runs only twice a day.
Passengers travelling to Penang should check their ferry connection times at the counter.
文法句型
connection + to + place
connection + from + place + to + place
用法筆記
Typically used with verbs like 'catch', 'miss', 'make' (e.g. 'make the connection' = arrive in time). The adjective 'direct' means no change of vehicle is needed. Distinguish from sense 1 (ACT OF CONNECTING), which focuses on the physical joining of things.
常見錯誤
7. people you know socially, through family, or professionally who have power, stat
people you know socially, through family, or professionally who have power, status, or influence in business, politics, or society and can help you achieve your goals.
With her father's connections in publishing, Paloma got an interview at a major magazine.
possessive 's + connections: family connections
The senator used his political connections to secure funding for the local hospital.
collocation: political connections
After years in the industry, Kwame built a wide network of connections across Southeast Asia.
Rania's connections among local business owners helped her find investors for her café.
Without the right connections, it can be very hard to start a career in fashion.
文法句型
connections + prepositional phrase (in/among/within)
用法筆記
Distinguish from idiom/1 (the same-word phrase 'connections'). This noun sense refers to individual influential people in a network, while idiom/1 emphasises the transactional act of using those people as a resource to obtain something specific (a job, a place, a deal). Noun/7 also contrasts with sense 8, which describes institutional or organisational ties between groups rather than individual powerful contacts.
常見錯誤
8. formal links between organizations, companies, or government bodies that create
formal links between organizations, companies, or government bodies that create opportunities for cooperation, trade, or advancement — for example, a university's ties with technology firms that lead to student internships, or a company's relationship with local officials that speeds up permits.
The university strengthened its connections with local technology companies to create more internships.
collocation: strengthen connections with [organization]
Good connections between the research institute and the hospital led to faster drug trials.
pattern: connections between [org] and [org]
The port authority built direct shipping connections with three major Asian trade hubs.
The museum established cultural connections with galleries in Europe and South America.
The trade agreement strengthened commercial connections between the two countries.
文法句型
connections between [organization] and [organization]
strengthen connections with [entity]
用法筆記
This sense contrasts with sense 7 (individual influential people). Sense 8 focuses on formal, often contractual or official links between collective entities — companies, universities, governments, trade bodies — rather than individual personal contacts. The subjects and objects are typically organizations, not people.
常見錯誤
9. a job or position that you are offered because someone you know recommends you,
a job or position that you are offered because someone you know recommends you, rather than through a standard hiring process.
Padma's first city job was a connection from a family friend at the firm.
pattern: be a connection from [someone]
Tyler refused two connections after college and applied for jobs through regular interviews instead.
The assistant job Ilan got was a connection from a film-industry family friend.
Some people view a connection as less valuable than a role earned through open competition.
Sari's law firm role was a pure connection — Sari did not apply.
- referral
more neutral; does not carry the same implication of unfair advantage
文法句型
be a connection
connection from [someone]
用法筆記
When used with this meaning, 'connection' is often paired with a possessive or the article 'a' and refers to a specific job or role obtained through personal contacts.
10. a person who sells illegal drugs or supplies other unlawful goods to buyers.
a person who sells illegal drugs or supplies other unlawful goods to buyers.
The police arrested the main connection who had been selling heroin in the neighborhood.
the + noun: the main connection
Detectives traced the phone calls back to a connection operating across the state border.
Esme's brother owed money to his connection and could not pay what he owed.
An undercover officer posed as a new connection looking to sell cocaine at a club.
The documentary showed how young people in the city first meet a drug connection.
文法句型
the/one's + connection (as drug supplier)
用法筆記
This sense is almost always used in the context of illegal activities. In everyday conversation, 'dealer' or 'supplier' is more common.
11. a group of people who share a particular set of beliefs, religious views, or fam
a group of people who share a particular set of beliefs, religious views, or family background, forming a distinct community.
The old church split into two separate connections after a conflict over leadership.
collocation: split into connections
Members of that religious connection gather every Sunday in a small hall near the market.
The marriage united two powerful connections from different regions of the country.
Historians trace this connection to a group of settlers who arrived in the 1700s.
Each connection in the region has its own leaders but shares the same core values.
- denomination
specifically a religious subgroup; more common
- sect
often implies a smaller or more extreme group
- clan
emphasizes family-based ties rather than shared beliefs
文法句型
split into connections
trace [a/the] connection to
用法筆記
This sense is uncommon in everyday speech and appears mainly in formal writing about religious history, anthropology, or clan-based societies.
connections — idiom
1. the helpful acquaintances in your social or professional circle who can pull str
the helpful acquaintances in your social or professional circle who can pull strings behind the scenes — passing your CV to a hiring manager, recommending you for a promotion, or getting your child into a selective school — when the normal application process would not be enough.
Megan got her first film job through family connections in the movie business.
through family connections + domain
Without political connections, it is almost impossible to start a business there.
Liam used his connections at the university to get funding for the new lab.
Diego's connections in the music industry helped his band get a record deal.
Tara's connections at the publishing house helped her sell her first novel.
- contacts
more neutral and less focused on power or influence; 'contacts' can simply mean people you know, while 'connections' implies they can do something for you.
- network
more structured and deliberate; 'network' suggests an organized group you actively maintain, whereas 'connections' can be looser or inherited.
- ties
emphasizes personal or family bonds, especially to a particular place or institution; 'ties' is warmer and less transactional than 'connections'.
文法句型
have connections
use (your) connections
through connections
用法筆記
Distinguish from noun sense 7 (INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE). Noun sense 7 refers to the individuals themselves — 'her father had connections in publishing' = she knew influential editors. The idiom 'connections' as a phrase emphasises the instrumental act of using those people as a resource to get a concrete benefit. Key diagnostic: idiom/1 typically appears in constructions like 'through connections', 'use (one's) connections', or 'have connections' with no determiner and an implied goal. If the sentence focuses on describing WHO the people are rather than WHAT they can get you, use noun/7 instead.